In turmoil!

[RobRob]

Hello everyone!

My head is an absolute shed at the minute, I start the season like a man possessed dropping 4 shots very quickly.... now I have lost the ability to swing a golf club! I am either hitting a horrible low snap hook or a big high block fade... Anybody got any wisdom for me? (The chap i normally have lessons with is playing at wentworth this weekend so hasnt been teaching for a week or more now)

 

[user2009]

Hello everyone!

My head is an absolute shed at the minute, I start the season like a man possessed dropping 4 shots very quickly.... now I have lost the ability to swing a golf club! I am either hitting a horrible low snap hook or a big high block fade... Anybody got any wisdom for me? (The chap i normally have lessons with is playing at wentworth this weekend so hasnt been teaching for a week or more now)

I can't help you, only empathise, I actually had a total meltdown today during 9 holes and lost an incredible 20 balls. About 12 of those were one shot after another sliced into the stream on the 6th, I had a mindset that I'd get it right and it wouldn't beat me even if it took me all day I got more and more wound up with each lost ball and nearly flipped and snapped my clubs.

The problem is my grip is all to pot for some reason, that's never been a problem, I'm off the course and down the range for a few weeks. I can't hit anything over about 120 yds at at the moment, I'm worse than when I started playing

 

[pokerjoke]

Hello everyone!

My head is an absolute shed at the minute, I start the season like a man possessed dropping 4 shots very quickly.... now I have lost the ability to swing a golf club! I am either hitting a horrible low snap hook or a big high block fade... Anybody got any wisdom for me? (The chap i normally have lessons with is playing at wentworth this weekend so hasnt been teaching for a week or more now)

Your sig tells me you have had 37 0.1s back already this season[is that correct].
I remember having 20 back in a row,then i had a cut of 1.2.
We all go through bad patches,its how we cope with them and come out the other side.
Just get the basics right,your good form will return,good luck.

 

[mcbroon]

Your sig tells me you have had 37 0.1s back already this season[is that correct].
I remember having 20 back in a row,then i had a cut of 1.2.
We all go through bad patches,its how we cope with them and come out the other side.
Just get the basics right,your good form will return,good luck.

I think it's the other way round. The OP says he dropped 4 shots in a hurry, so it looks as though he's gone from 18.2 to 14.5.

RobRob, just relax. You've already ripped shots out of your h/c, so you'd have to do exactly what pokerjoke suggests and get around 40 0.1s back in order to be back where you started. I'd say that's pretty unlikely. We all throw a bad round in from time to time but the worst thing that happens is you get 0.1 back. I've played 5 competitive rounds this year and shot way under h/c in three of them. The other two I was so far over the buffer I couldn't even see it. My h/c is still in much better shape than it was at the start of the year, so I'm not getting hung up on the bad ones - I'm concentrating on the good ones because I've proved I can do it more than once.

 

[Foxholer]

I think it's the other way round. The OP says he dropped 4 shots in a hurry, so it looks as though he's gone from 18.2 to 14.5.

RobRob, just relax. You've already ripped shots out of your h/c, so you'd have to do exactly what pokerjoke suggests and get around 40 0.1s back in order to be back where you started. I'd say that's pretty unlikely. We all throw a bad round in from time to time but the worst thing that happens is you get 0.1 back. I've played 5 competitive rounds this year and shot way under h/c in three of them. The other two I was so far over the buffer I couldn't even see it. My h/c is still in much better shape than it was at the start of the year, so I'm not getting hung up on the bad ones - I'm concentrating on the good ones because I've proved I can do it more than once.

Yes. Handicap progress in Sig is backwards from what I would expect. See year end and subsequent year start values.

Agree with 'relax' both in the head (most important) and in the swing - well lose the bad tension! Trying too hard is a very common cause of sprayed shots!

Having ripped so many shots of your handicap, it's quite reasonable to suffer from the 'I can't play to this' nerves - and you can because you have! You may need to take a slightly different general approach to scoring on some holes, as that exceptional round was probably just that - exceptional. At least you should have the comfort of knowing you can do it. You 'set up camp' at this level before attempting the next climb.

 

[Alex1975]

Hmm, wish I could help as I know that feeling. I know for me that golf is a barometer or mirror of my life so if I am in a good place I play well but that may not be the case for you.

When I am having a hard time with golf I just keep grinding, its all I feel I can do as I have no way out. Again this may not be best for you.

Good luck brother... try and enjoy the journey.

 

[RobRob]

Hmm, wish I could help as I know that feeling. I know for me that golf is a barometer or mirror of my life so if I am in a good place I play well but that may not be the case for you.

When I am having a hard time with golf I just keep grinding, its all I feel I can do as I have no way out. Again this may not be best for you.

Good luck brother... try and enjoy the journey.

thats it! I am still really enjoying playing but it's just disheartening that I have gone from playing out my skin to looking like I have no idea what I am doing!

 

[Doh]

This sort of things happens to many golfers, things are going along greatly then out of the blue it's all gone,or so it seems.
I agree you have to go back and check out the basics think back to your lessons what did the pro have you practicing what drills were you doing?
The positive thing is that you were/are good enough to get cut 4 shots you have the ability be patient this game is hard but not impossible.

 

[HickoryShaft]

If I could offer one bit of advice it would be to try and play a few different types of game - friendly matchplay, stableford etc & not just stroke play. That way you will be able to reflect on some good holes & the fact that you can hit it well at times as well as those nasty shots that creep in at times.

Its my usual get out ater a couple of bad rounds and helps me to refocus.

 

[kinhell]

Hello everyone!

My head is an absolute shed at the minute, I start the season like a man possessed dropping 4 shots very quickly.... now I have lost the ability to swing a golf club! I am either hitting a horrible low snap hook or a big high block fade... Anybody got any wisdom for me? (The chap i normally have lessons with is playing at wentworth this weekend so hasnt been teaching for a week or more now)

I was doing the same and it turned out I was too bent over the ball. Once I got a bit taller when addressing the ball and kept a straight back it corrected itself.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

In the same boat. Was melting it in lessons and on the course and now its gone to pot. Had the shanks at the range tonight even after going thorugh the drills I'd been shown in my last lesson. Off to chip and putt tomorrow and then playing Thursday night, Friday afternoon and all bank holiday. God knows what will happen

 

[DAVEYBOY]

In the same boat. Was melting it in lessons and on the course and now its gone to pot. Had the shanks at the range tonight even after going thorugh the drills I'd been shown in my last lesson. Off to chip and putt tomorrow and then playing Thursday night, Friday afternoon and all bank holiday. God knows what will happen

Are you sure your pro is up to the job Homer? For someone who has the amount of lessons you have you seem to suffer with bouts of the shanks on a very regular basis. I read your blog sometimes and its a problem I see you constantly go on about.

Not criticising just wondering if your dosh is going to the right man?

 

[bobmac]

Hello everyone!

I am either hitting a horrible low snap hook or a big high block fade...

The good news is there isnt as much wrong as you think.
Your swing path is cutting across the ball from outside to inside.
Sometimes the clubface is pointing left and sometimes right.
Fix the swing path and the clubface will fix itself